Working Kalos With Skill - For Real
by Storm Pegasus
Summary: Ash decides to become serious after his defeat in Unova and in order to conquer the Kalos League. With old and new Pokemon by his side he will take Kalos by storm. Strong/Elite Level Ash. Amourshipping.
1. Epiphany

A/N: {I am starting this story anew as I have seen many people try to do it but never complete it which left me frustrated. I promise to complete this and though updates may be slow remember; I neither have nor will abandon this story.}

Ash Ketchum stood atop the hill overlooking Pallet Town with his faithful Pikachu by his side. Rather than being happy for the first time in his life Ash was depressed. After his dismal performance at the Unova League and more importantly his disgraceful defeat at the hands of Cameron, Ash had begun to question his own decisions and his dream to be a Pokemon Master. His partner shared his mood, especially mad over his own loss to Cameron's Lucario.

This was the moment that Ash Ketchum decided that in order to achieve his dreams he had to become serious and leave all his childish tendencies behind.

In order to accomplish what he wanted he had to utilize the potential he knew he had and what countless others saw in him to become the very best. He had already decided on the next region he would be travelling which was Kalos. The Kalos League was less than three months away and it was time to do some serious training.

Though at first he had wanted to train all of his pokemon so that they could help him perform, now that he thought about it he had no time to train all of them. In addition to this in all honesty, there were some that did not have the strength or dedication to become an important pokemon that would fit in his team the first place.

After realizing that he had stood atop the hill for approximately for an hour and that Pikachu was getting impatient which meant he was in danger of a thunderbolt he decided further pondering could be done after greeting his mother, Professor Oak, his Pokemon at the ranch and possibly Gary. With this plan in mind he set off the path towards his house.

Upon reaching home he was greeted by his overenthusiastic mother who tempted him to stay home rather than to go to the ranch with an offer of a delicious meal. However, Ash decided this would only further delay him and after politely declining his mother's offer he set off at a fast pace towards the ranch. After greeting Professor Oak who congratulated him for his performance he entered the ranch only to be swept by all of his pokemon.

After his Pokemon had all gathered Ash began talking to them and began his, what some would call, speech," I know that some of you are disappointed that we have yet again not achieved our dream though we have been to countless regions and have worked very hard, a part of this hugely my fault", he held his hands up to stop any protests forthcoming," I left all of you and did not make you participate hugely in my battles or adventures when I travelled a new region, for which I am sorry".

His pokemon made various noises to indicate they accepted his apology. He smiled and continued, "However this time only those will travel who hand have shown their worth, have improved and have the utmost desire to win out of all my pokemon. The training regimen will be tough and only few will be able to handle it and qualify for a team. There will be a total of 12 spots for you to compete for. There will be two Pokemon teams of six each and one spot for Pikachu which does not include in the original two teams making it 13 Pokemon I will use. I will capture at most 4 pokemon in Kalos making 17 Pokemon altogether with whom I will travel Kalos and conquer the Kalos League. One team will be elite only to be used throughout the Kalos League. The other team will be used in everyday travel and for conquering gyms. The four pokemon I will capture can be used in both the gyms and the league. I hope you all are ready ad I know it we will be tough but as I said to someone very important to me many years ago we will never give up till it's over!" His pokemon responded with a cheer giving Ash all the support he needed to finally become serious and accomplish his dream.


	2. Training Part 1

_**A/N :( Thank you for all the support you guys have shown. Constructive criticism is welcome while I will respond harshly to flames. Please review).**_

A little over two months had passed since the arrival of Ash Ketchum back in Pallet Town. These passing months had also seen the arrival of Gary Oak in Pallet as well.

Following the day of his arrival Ash had set a training regimen for both himself and his Pokemon which included various goals he had set to accomplish in a specific time frame. Many of Ash's Pokemon had learnt new moves with his partner Pikachu leading the way.

Pikachu had learnt the moves Thunder Wave and Electro Ball within the first month of training, followed by the re-mastering of Volt Tackle as well. Perhaps the longest new move that had taken for Pikachu to master was Light Screen which, Ash thought, would be pretty helpful in future battles.

Charizard was not far behind as he was eager to prove his strength and label of being the strongest of Ash's Pokemon. Within two months of intense training he had discerned how to use Thunder Punch, Dragon Claw which would specially be a devastating combo. He had also leant Dragon Pulse and the move Dragon Dance to add to his already huge plethora of Dragon type moves, but what was most certainly his biggest achievement came from one of his many battles against Infernape and Sceptile where he had conquered his strongest move: Blast Burn.

Sceptile was also keen not to fall behind Ash's powerhouse and had learnt how to use Detect as a way to dodge attacks while also learning a long range attack in the way of Dragon Pulse whilst also learning his strongest move: Frenzy Plant.

Infernape wasn't messing around either and did his best not to trail behind others. As a result of rigorous training he had leant Swords Dance which would be helpful in boosting his already amazing attacks stats to ridiculous levels while also learning another attack in the way of Blaze Kick. He had also learnt Sleep Talk by using a TM which Ash had bought for him.

Other Pokemon such as Buziel and Gible also put in work and during a particularly fierce battle both had evolved in their determination to become stronger. By evolving into Floatzel and Gabite respectively both had individually learnt new moves such as Hydro Pump and Aqua Tail for Floatzel whilst Gabite had learnt Dragon Rush and Dual Chop.

Snorlax, the biggest shock of them all, was also seen training diligently from time to time which had undoubtedly paved the way to him learning the moves Hammer Arm and more importantly Giga Impact.

Along with his Pokemon Ash had also started training with them in order to encourage and motivate them. Excluding training with his Pokemon, Ash had also started his own training regimen, most noticeably, waking up relatively early in the morning to run laps around Pallet Town.

His training regimen after a lot of tweaking had finally been set on upon fifty push-ups and fifty sit-ups along with cardio and a lot of weight lifting with yoga for half an hour to top it all off. This regimen was done twice a day one in the morning and once while with his Pokemon. Two months of this had started to give him the outline of a swimmer's body; lean and muscular but not overly so whilst the beginning of abs on his stomach were also starting to become visible.

This along with the yields from the intense training of his Pokemon led Ash to believe that everything was going rather well and he hoped this marked the start of a new era for him and his Pokemon.


	3. Training Part 2

_**A/N: (Thank you to the guest who reviewed and yes I have read the story of original Kalos with Skills and that person by not completing it gave me inspiration to write. I will try longer chapters but I am very busy due to upcoming exams Gsce and all that shit. And Yeah! Amourshipping forever) **_

Though the training of those Pokemon who were viewed as the strongest was going well, many other Pokemon were also doing their very best to prove their worth.

From all of his flying types, Staraptor had been the most impressive so far and had been determined to get into, at least, one of the teams. His flying abilities had increased gradually by each passing day. To confuse enemies and to take advantage of a possible opportune moment or as a defense Staraptor had learnt Double Team while also discerning how to use Heat Wave which would prove as both a valuable defense and attack if any Pokemon managed to get in close quarters with Staraptor such as when Paul's Gastrodon did in the Sinnoh League.

Gliscor was also keen not to fall behind his fellow native Pokemon and had also developed his flying abilities to the point that he had mastered Acrobatics. To add to his attacking options with his already learnt Fire Fang, he had also mastered Ice Fang and Thunder Fang which would cover any weaknesses with any Pokemon in close quarters.

Another surprising Pokemon whose determination had shocked Ash himself was Heracross. The Single Horn Pokemon was also seen training diligently to increase his strength and to re-pay all the love it had been shown by its trainer. To add to his fighting-type moves he had mastered Close Combat while also adding to his bug-type moves by learning Bug Bite. A surprising move he had mastered which was to shock many opponents in the future was Night Slash. Ash couldn't wait to see the look on the faces of his future opponents when he used that move.

From all of his Pokemon from Unova, only Krookodile seemed to be taking it serious while others from Unova, well the less said the better. Ash could now understand why he lost the Unova League so badly. Krookodile alone could not carry the whole team. For the first Ash could see that not all of the blame for losing to Cameron was not on him but some had to be shared by his Unovan Pokemon as in comparison to his other teams in other regions they were not as hardworking or serious.

Krookodile seemed to take the loss at Unova in stride and had started working even harder. He had learnt the Dragon-type move Outrage while training with Charizard and had also added another ground-type to his collection by learning Earthquake. He had, surprisingly, also learnt a fighting-type move by mastering Focus Punch.

Ash, upon seeing his Pokemon working so hard had also upped his own training.

From his mother, Delia, he had started learning the basics of cooking which according to his mother the need for every trainer like him who travelled days at a stretch on the road. She had also expressed her thoughts on how he had survived for so long without learning at least the basics of cooking. She had also remarked that learning how to cook would "impress the ladies" to which Ash had only responded with a confused frown leading his mother to sigh and roll her eyes internally at her son who was approaching his 17th birthday but was still so painfully innocent and oblivious.

In addition to this Ash had also started to study about Pokemon with the help of Professor Oak by learning the abilities, hidden abilities of Pokemon and what moves could various Pokemon have or learn. This information would help him not be caught off guard in future battles. He had finally also learnt how to use the Pokedex which allowed him to learn information about his Pokemon which he previously did not know.

Ash had also treated himself to an Xtransceiver which would allow him to contact anyone at any time and also allow him to transfer his Pokemon at will which would save him the hassle of travelling to a Pokemon center.

As for now, Ash sat in his bed too excited to sleep as tomorrow was his 3 on 3 battle with his one time rival: Gary Oak.


	4. An Old Rivalry

_**A/N: (I'm sorry but I won't be using Snivy nor will Ash get baby Pokemon. As for mega evolution well that's a topic for future. I have thought out Ash's team all but two spots of who he will capture. Give me ideas via PM or review. Thanks for reading. Review more please. My longest chapter yet; over a thousand words, enjoy).**_

"This is a one on one battle between Ash and Gary of Pallet Town. Once the Pokemon on either side is knocked out or is unable to battle the other will be declared the winner. Trainers send out your Pokémon", Professor Oak announced.

Gary had already told Ash that he would use Blastoise before the match claiming it would mess with his head. Turns out it was messing with his head. Should he go with Pikachu who had type advantage or with Charizard who was itching for another match with Blastoise? Before he could decide he heard Gary speaking to him.

"The smart option would be to choose Pikachu to fight my Blastoise. However if I know you Ash and if I know what my Pokemon and what your Pokemon want, then I know for certain that instead of sending out Pikachu, you will be sending out Charizard", Gary said.

His mind made up, Ash grinned. Of course, Gary was right. Choosing Pikachu would be the smart option, but Charizard and Blastoise had a rivalry that went way back, not to mention that Ash's Charizard had defeated Gary's Blastoise before.

Ash grabbed Charizard's Pokeball and threw it with vigor. Charizard roared as it entered the battlefield before realizing his opponent and giving a half happy and half feral grin.

Charizard's eyes narrowed and it began to roar. In response, Gary's Blastoise seemed to bare its teeth, before lowering its head and preparing to attack.

"Hydro Pump", Gary yelled.

"Charizard dodge it, and then use Flamethrower"

Charizard flew up into the air, dodging the Hydro Pump and hitting Blastoise directly with Flamethrower.

"Now follow it up with Dragon Claw!" Charizard rushed to Blastoise, once again landing a direct hit.

"Follow up with Thunder Punch", Ash shouted.

"Use Withdraw and then use Hydro Pump", Gary called out to his Charizard.

Blastoise withdrew into its shell as Charizard tried to land another direct hit on it.

"Charizard get away from there!" Ash yelled, but it was in vain as Blastoise had already started to use Hydro Pump. The blast from Blastoise sent Charizard tumbling to the ground.

"Now use Ice Beam!" Blastoise fired its Ice Beam at Charizard, once again hitting him. Charizard roared in pain.

"Blastoise use Skull Bash!" Blastoise lowered itself before launching itself at Charizard.

"Charizard fly up to dodge it"

However Charizard didn't move, and that's when Ash realized what Ice Beam had done. Charizard's wings were frozen; making it unable to fly and as a result Skull Bash hit Charizard head on.

"Dragon Claw Charizard"

"Dodge and use Skull Bash once again!"

Charizard tried to land a Dragon Claw but it was too slow because of the ice. Blastoise lowered itself once again before pouncing at Charizard.

Ash gritted his teeth. He only had one option, but it was risky. Very risky indeed.

'Oh well,' he thought, 'it's my only way out of this.'

"Charizard use Blast Burn!" Charizard roared before unleashing a massive plume of fire. Blast Burn hit Blastoise and sent it flying. Ash could now see that the ice on Charizard's wings had melted.

"Alright Charizard!" Ash yelled, "I need you to be able to withstand one more attack for me. Can you do that?" Charizard looked at Ash, fire burning in his eyes and he nodded.

"Blastoise use Hydro Pump!" Gary yelled and Ash had to pray that Charizard would be able to outlast this attack. The Hydro Pump hit Charizard and sent it skidding backwards.

"Now use Skull Bash", Blastoise lowered its head and launched towards Charizard.

"Charizard use Dragon Claw", Charizard unleashed his Dragon Claw just as Blastoise was about to collide with it. Blastoise went flying back.

"Withdraw!" Gary yelled.

"Now's our chance; Charizard fly to Blastoise and use Seismic Toss!" Ash countered.

Charizard flew straight toward Blastoise as it withdrew into its shell. Charizard grabbed the shell before taking off towards the sky, somersaulting and throwing it hard towards the ground.

The ground shook as Blastoise landed, almost knocking Ash and Gary off their feet. A cloud of dust shrouded their vision and when it finally dispersed the results were clear.

Blastoise had lost whilst Charizard could be seen launching Flamethrowers in the sky in celebration as Ash's Pokemon cheered and gathered around him.

After congratulating Charizard Ash faced Gary again who had also congratulated him. Ash them purposed a battle between two of his Pokemon and two of Gary's which Gary responded in affirmative.

After scanning the Pokemon gathered Ash sent out Quilava and Totodile against the Pokemon Gary had sent out which happened to be his Umbreon and his Electivire, which Gary told he had acquired in Sinnoh recently.

The battle between the four Pokemon was a long one with neither side wanting to give in. Finally though, Gary started to have advantage when Electivire's ability Motor Drive kicked in. Along with his experienced Umbreon, Gary began to overwhelm Ash's Pokemon when all of a sudden both of Ash's Pokemon began to glow.

When the glow died down instead of Quilava and Totodile, Typhlosion and Croconaw stood in all their glory. After a newly learned Eruption curtsey of Typhlosion and a Hydro Pump from Croconaw whose attacks collided with the Thunder of Electivire and Shadow Ball from Umbreon, a massive explosion took place and when everything cleared the result was what no one had expected.

Pokemon from both sides were declared knocked out and it was a tie. Ash was happy with the result and he could tell Gary was too. Ash knew that the result was good because of the determination of his Pokemon of not losing the battle and in that determination they had evolved.

Now all that was left was to train Typhlosion and Croconaw so they could get used to their new bodies and possibly new moves.

After all less than a month was left until he left for Kalos. He couldn't wait.


	5. An Agreement

_**A/N :( Lol nothing much to say really but enjoy and please ffs review!)**_

For the past week all that Ash had been doing was training Croconaw and Typhlosion and was giving them extra attention and the results were very encouraging to say the least.

Typhlosion had learnt and mastered the moves Eruption while also learning Thunder Punch at the same time. He had surprisingly also learnt a steel-type move by mastering Gyro Ball.

Croconaw at first had been upset that he would not be able to dance as the same as he had been able to before but then Ash had introduced Croconaw to break dancing and Croconaw was overjoyed. Over the period of last week Croconaw had been able to fully able to control Hydro Pump while learning Ice Punch from Floatzel. He had also learnt Superpower upon evolving and after intense practice had also been able to discern how to use Aqua Tail. Needless to say Ash was very happy from the results of training from both his Pokemon.

Right now Ash was saying farewell to Gary who was, unfortunately returning to Sinnoh for furthering research in whatever he was researching. After that he went inside with Professor Oak who had informed him that he wanted to talk to him about something.

Upon approaching Professor Oak Ash asked, "Professor, you called me?" to which he responded in affirmative. When he asked for the reason for which he called Ash the Professor responded with a lengthy explanation.

"Well Ash I know that in less than two weeks you are leaving for the Kalos region. Given your experience and achievements and after some discussion with The Pokemon League I have decided to increase your carry limit to 11 instead of 6 so that it can fit in well with your plans."

Ash was overjoyed with this announcement as this fit perfectly with his plans and in his joy he approached the Professor and hugged him but quickly let go in embarrassment after thanking him profusely. After this he approached his Pokemon and spotted his Bulbasaur to whom he told to gather the Pokemon. Bulbasaur nodded and fired a Solar Beam into the sky and before long all his Pokemon had gathered at the clearing. Upon seeing all of them gathered Ash began.

"As you all probably know today is selection day where both of the Elite and gym teams will be announced. Now—"

Ash speech was cut off when a large explosion took place and the fence blew away and revealed Team Rocket standing in all their glory (which was not much, Ash mused) and they began their motto.

"Prepare for trouble!

And make it double!

To protect the world from devastation!

To unite all people within our nation!

To denounce the evils of truth and love!

To extend our reach to the stars above!

Jessie!

James!

Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!

Surrender now or prepare to fight!

Meowth!

That's right!

Wobuffet"

Slow clapping was clearly not what Team Rocket was expecting but that is what they got from all of Ash's Pokemon and himself.

"You know", Ash began, "your motto isn't half bad. I guess hearing it for more than a thousand times had made me unappreciate it but now that I am hearing it for, hopefully, the last time has made me appreciate it." Before they could start speaking Ash held up his hands.

"It has been fun having you around but now you have to understand something. You are leaving this place only by two ways. One: in the hands of competent police or the other option which is peacefully."

"The first option is that we can have a fight where if you guys lose, instead of blowing you into the sky, I will bind you and deliver you to the police and before you say that you can beat me with Pokemon or machine regardless of all my Pokemon; please notice that I currently have Charizard here, my strongest Pokemon who can single handedly kick your collective asses."

"The second option is that you can leave me peacefully, at least for the rest of Kalos region and after that if you want to come again if I travel another region, you are welcome, but for Kalos leave me the fuck alone or you will thoroughly regret it because I have made my mind to seriously for once try to win"

At first Team Rocket was shocked but as Ash continued his lecture Ash saw Meowth and James starting to have understanding looks on their faces while Jessie looked ready to explode as usual. Ash stopped Jessie before she could open her mouth by ordering Charizard to use Flamethrower near her which shut her up relatively quickly.

After an awkward and long silence Meowth after exchanging looks with Jessie and James, began talking," All right twerp, we accept your second option but with two alteration. Firstly we want to at least visit you or attempt to capture Pikachu once or twice in Kalos, no more and the second we will tell before leaving."

Ash nodded in acceptance to their demands, it was definitely better than the first option which to be honest unsettled even him as Team Rocket were almost like his friends or travelling companions as they knew him since he was 10.

Before going both James and Meowth said they were rooting for him for the Kalos League while Jessie seethed from her spot but calmed down and wished him good luck.

After this Meowth said, "Now twerp our last request is that you blast us off with your Pikachu."

Ash smiled at their request and then grinned before shouting, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Before the attack reached them Ash heard them say in unison, "Good luck in the Kalos League Ash and farewell!"

And then they were blasting off in the sky shouting for the last time for probably a long time," Team Rocket is blasting off again!" ,until they were just a star in the night sky.

Ash shook his head at their antics and returned to the task at hand which was announcing the team. He was sure his team was eagerly waiting for the results.


	6. Team Selection

_**AN :( Guess who's back. Yeah I'm back. Sooooo I guess I owe you all an explanation. If u did not know I am a student and my cies were in May. I was preparing for my exams and suddenly this fucking corona virus shows up and my country declares lockdown and all that, and now my exams are in October which I am not the least bit happy about I wanted my exams done with. Well now that exams are so far away and isolation is encouraged I decided to return to Fan Fiction. I missed writing, reading and all my readers dearly and I hope my reasons appease you. Now onwards to the story where FINALLY the pokemon for the teams are being selected, I bet one will surprise you all a lot. Please review, constructive criticism is encouraged but no flames to which I will respond accordingly. Stay safe from corona you all).**_

Ash stood in front of the gathered Pokemon all of whom were staring at him eagerly and were very eager to hear the results and whether they would be accepted or not for the teams.

"Now I know all of you, individually, have worked very hard and expect to be in at least one team. However, if you are not selected do not be disheartened or be depressed but instead you should be proud of the work you have done and how you have improve and pledge to yourselves that you want to improve. Take motivation if you fail in entering the teams and never give up!"

His Pokemon showed their support of his words by roaring as one and staring with determination at their trainer. It was at this point that Ash felt proud of each and every Pokemon he had and their dedication to make his dream come true.

"Now as I make the announcements, though some may be shocking know that I have not shown any favoritism and every Pokemon was chosen for their spot by merit and their training."

At this moment a tense silence prevailed all over the area Pokemon were gathered and each and every Pokemon felt nervous even Charizard even though he would never admit it.

"Before I start which team would you like me to announce first?"

Bulbasaur the spokesperson of his Pokemon approached him and relayed the wishes of his Pokemon to him.

"Okay you guys want to know the team for the gyms first right? Before I forget Pikachu is part of both teams as my starter and so it is not unfair to you there are still six spots for both teams."

"The first member of the team which will travel Kalos with me and will also help in conquering the gyms will be Staraptor and onwards Gliscor, Heracross, Typhlosion, Krookodile and finally the name no one would expect even the Pokemon himself Floatzel."

There were different reactions for each Pokemon selected. Gliscor, Heracross, Krookodile and Staraptor were happy and were firing off attacks in happiness or tackling Ash. Floatzel seemed upset that it could not get into the Elite Team whilst Typhlosion seemed satisfied, not too happy or too sad but the excitement shone in its eyes. Croconaw could be seen visibly upset as it felt that it had lost any chance of joining the teams and felt that it was not capable of joining the Elite Team.

"Now I know all of you are excited but please settle down, it is time for the selection of the Elite Team." Immediately all of his Pokemon settled down and waited for him to make the announcement.

Ash chuckled and then said, "As I and most of you know the first member of the team which will solely participate in Kalos League is Charizard. He is followed by Sceptile and Infernape. Now I know that the next choices are controversial and some of you will protest that you were better but bear in mind I was the one judging and I did every selection based on hard work."

"The fourth member of the team is our resident glutton, Snorlax followed by the recently evolved Gabite. The last member of the team which I know will shock each and every one of you (even you viewers) is the one and only Croconaw."

Once again there were different reactions all around. Many were shocked upon Snorlax's and Croconaw's selection but none more than themselves. Gabite launched a Draco Meteor in the sky in celebration whilst Infernape and Charizard could be seen launching Flamethrowers in the sky. Only Sceptile remained cool and his only reaction to the news was the small smile he directed towards Ash, which coming from Sceptile, Ash summarized accurately portrayed his excitement and happiness.

"Now for those selected do not lose the drive to become better but instead take this as motivation to improve and better yourself like I did after my multiple losses throughout the years."

"Bulbasaur will overlook the training while I a gone from here as I trust him the most from all of you whilst I hope that the Elite Pokemon chosen can train themselves and take care of themselves whilst I am not here. I entrust Sceptile to ensure you get the required training every day and don't become lazy"

With this being said Ash called Pikachu and headed towards his home and left the ranch as, as much as he wanted to spend time with his Pokemon it was late in the night and he was sure his mother was worrying about him.

Ash smiled as he thought about the fact that less than a week was left till he left for Kalos and he thought he would physically burst out of excitement. He had gotten his ticket for the flight to Kalos already and as much as he would have liked to head straight to Kalos from Kanto it was not possible.

Most of the tickets had been sold and most of the tickets left were more inconvenient then Ash would have liked and he would have to stay in Sinnoh for two days.

The flight schedule was that the plane would board from Viridian City and he would land in Alamos Town in Sinnoh. After two days he would again board the plane from Alamos Town and land the very same day in the evening in the Lumiose City in Kalos.

He could not wait to leave for Kalos and even though he would miss his home town and his mother, after staying for over three months in the same place, it had taken a toll on the 17 year old trainer and he could not wait to travel again, meet new friends, catch new Pokemon and reap the benefits of his dedication, hard work and intense training.


	7. Alamos Town

_**A/N :( Welcome back to the story everyone. Firstly, I would like to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. There is a POLL set up on my profile on whether Bonnie and Clemont should travel with Serena and Ash or not. Personally I would like them to but it's your choice. So please VOTE. I want at least 50 votes before Ash arrives in Kalos which is about 2 or 3 chapters away. Secondly, guys please REVIEW; you know the square box at bottom? Yeah that, I want your feedback and as I am still relatively new here I would appreciate advice, pointers and such. So that's my rant done enjoy the chapter as this is the one where Ash will capture a new Pokemon, one of the only four which he will capture during this story. Smell ya later everyone. THIS CHAPTER IS AWESOME).**_

Stepping out of the airplane, Ash breathed in the cold air of the Sinnoh region which was so unlike the warm and welcoming air of Kanto, for the first time in over a year. His hand resting on the belt which currently had ten Poke balls he turned his gaze towards his shoulder, finding his partner, Pikachu who had similarly been breathing in the Sinnoh air.

Sinnoh brought back many memories, especially due to it being the region where had his best League performance so far and had been the most enjoyable region in his opinion to date. Two major differences came to his mind as he compared the journey throughout Sinnoh to Unova. He had used his old Pokemon in the League in Sinnoh and had shown a drive which he could confess to himself, he had not shown anywhere else, which had eventually led him to defeat Paul and reach the semi-finals, losing only to the bearer of legendaries, Tobias.

Perhaps it had been due to his travelling companions, here he thought of Dawn who had done his upmost to support him even wearing that cheerleading outfit or due to admittedly better Pokemon such as Infernape who had become from an abused Chimchar to the best fighter he possessed who never seemed to give up. Whatever the reason, he thought with a shake of his head; it was time to live in the present and improve rather than live in the past and repent mistakes. It was with this thought he started to head down the stairs of the airplane with Pikachu clinging his shoulder.

Heading into Alamos Town, Ash could see the Space-Time Towers from where he stood. He still remembered the carnage which had been caused by Dialga and Palkia which had only been lessened by the Pokemon which had saved the town – Darkrai.

At that thought his pace quickened along with his heartbeat as his feet unconsciously started walking towards Godey's Garden which was the place where Darkrai usually was. As he sprinted towards the garden, he had only one goal in mind; to capture Darkrai.

Darkrai would be no doubt be a very valuable addition to his side if he managed to capture it; even if it took all seven Pokemon he had on him to capture him. At this thought he skittered to a stop.

With the strength Darkrai possessed, it would be able to defeat his team albeit it would be close but he had no doubt he would defeat his current team. He had witnessed its strength; after all it had fought both Palkia and Dialga and was no doubt stronger than his own Charizard or even Tobias' Darkrai.

He would have to do this very carefully. He needed his three best Pokemon in order to defeat Darkrai. He had three extra Poke Balls at hand. He could call Charizard and Sceptile in two and capture Darkrai with the spare and he already had Pikachu with him. With this plan in mind he started sprinting towards the Pokemon center.

As soon as he started sprinting Pikachu shocked him lightly and gestured towards his bag he was wearing. Ash was confused evidenced by the frown that marred his features so Pikachu rolled his eyes and after digging through his bag brought out the Xtransceiver. Ash's frown turned into a grin as he appreciatively ran a hand over Pikachu's head while his partner merely smirked a t him.

After bringing Charizard's and Sceptile Poke Balls he threw them in the air and released them. As soon as they were out he started explaining the situation to them.

"Ok, guys I need your help. I have called upon you in addition to Pikachu in order to capture a Pokemon which is extremely strong but with the three of you, being my strongest Pokemon, I have hope we will be able to defeat this Pokemon."

He could see their eyes widen in disbelief that all three would be required to catch a Pokemon and he decided to explain to them properly. After explaining to them about Darkrai, its feats and strength he reprimanded Charizard before it got too overconfident or suggested that it could defeat Darkrai alone.

With the purpose of capturing Darkrai in mind he entered the garden with his Pokemon flanking him.

He encountered Darkrai after five minutes of searching, where Alice's grandmother had first found him when he was injured. He could see Darkrai's one eye widen in recognition as Ash approached him.

He conversed for a while with Darkrai and exchanged pleasantries along with how they had been doing for the past year but slowly but surely Ash could see its eye drift to his Pokemon both in curiosity and in suspicion just as he finished explaining about the journey he was about to undertake in Kalos.

"Okay, Darkrai, I won't prolong it any longer. Along with being able to see you I am also here in order to battle you and hopefully capture you so that you can help me on my journey. I will only be using these three Pokemon and I know it seems unfair but considering your strength this will be a fair battle."

He could see Darkrai nod in agreement and start to lead him to a clearing away from the garden where the battle would take place. Once they reached the clearing he could see Darkrai beckoning him to start.

He gestured towards Charizard with his hand who let out a roar and flew towards the battlefield.

All was still for a moment until Darkrai started the fight with an Ice Beam.

"Dodge that Charizard and counter with Flamethrower", Ash yelled.

He could see Charizard carrying out the command without difficulty, tucking in his wings to dive to the ground quickly and then shoot a wave of wire to counter the Ice Beam which Darkrai was still sustaining.

After several long seconds he could see that Charizard would not be able to continue his onslaught as long as Darkrai who had not yet shown any signs of being worse for wear in contrast to Charizard who was starting to lose the ferocity of his attack which until seconds ago was matching Darkrai.

"Break off the Flamethrower at the best opportunity and the use Slash"

Charizard, after seconds dove in and elongated his claws and swiped them at Darkrai who responded with Shadow Claw. Ash knew that know he had his chance.

"Use Dragon Claw with your other claw and then follow up with Thunder Punch", Ash hollered.

Charizard responded with a roar, one green scaly claw swiping up at the surprised legendary who tried to parry only to be hit by a barrage of Thunder Punches which threw him across the battlefield where he stabilized and responded with a Double Team along with what seemed like a shower of Dark Pulses.

Ash was in a quandary and he knew that if Charizard was hit by some of those it would leave him open to Dark Void and viola; it would be the end of the battle. Ash could not let it happen because he needed Charizard to further weaken Darkrai before going down and though he did not like it he would have to back out so that no further damage would be sustained to Charizard.

"Use Smokescreen and hide in it, then when the opportunity appears use Dragon Breath and get in close to use Steel Wing and Dragon Tail."

Ash was rather doubtful that Charizard would be able to perform so many moves at the same time but once again his strongest Pokemon proved him wrong.

Whilst Darkrai seemed focused on firing Dark Pulses in the smoke, Charizard used Dragon Breath to distract him, then rushed to him through the smoke and hit him directly with Steel Wing then on the rebound with Dragon Tail. Darkrai staggered a bit but did not go down instead using Shock Wave to damage Charizard and then using Ice Beam.

Charizard could not escape the Shock Wave and the delay caused by it caused him to be hit by Ice Beam on his winger making him unable to fly. As Ash saw Darkrai preparing to launch a combo of Dark Void and Dream Eater, he knew Charizard was going down and it was now or never.

"Charizard use Blast Burn", Ash yelled.

His faithful friend and Pokemon glanced at him and it too seemed to know it was the end of the battle for him. He turned back towards his opponent and brought down its fists towards the ground as it roared so loudly that the very ground seemed to shake as he released his strongest attack. Just before Dream Eater and Dark Void hit him, he saw Darkrai nod towards him in respect and he responded with a nod of his own just before he closed his eyes and a large explosion took place.

_**A/N: (Alright, I know I should not have left a cliffhanger but what I can do the temptation was too hard to resist. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter as this one is my biggest one up to date around 1.7K. Let me know what you guys thought of the battle as it is my FIRST battle written by myself. Remember to VOTE for the poll on my profile and PLEASE REVIEW. That's all till next chapter where the battle continues. I wrote this in only 3 hours and took 4 days to upload. I'm sorry LOL).**_


	8. Defeating A Legend

_**A/N: (Welcome back to the story. There a few matters to be dealt with before the chapter begins. Firstly, thanks for the reviews to which I have responded via PM. **_

_**In response to the guest who took their time to write a lengthy review, thank you. I have taken your advice into consideration and tough I too love Brock he won't be in the story because I feel Ash needs to grow out of his care. Secondly many like yourself have requested longer chapters and though I am gradually increasing the length it won't happen suddenly. I also feel that writing longer chapter taxes me and the quality does not remain the same as it gradually decreases as my exhaustion increases. As for Paul, well you'll have to wait and see. Miette might be involved though if all goes well she won't be needed, you'll hopefully see why in the next two chapters. That said I am grateful you took a piece of your time to give me feedback and share your views. I look forward to more reviews from you.**_

_**For those who have been having difficulty finding how to vote this is how you can do it. Tap onto my name (Storm Pegasus) which shall bring you to my profile page. At the top there is a "Vote Now" symbol. Click it and it will show you two options. Select the option you want and then vote.**_

_**Speaking of votes there have been only 16 votes and I know for a fact that over 500 people are reading this story. So I would appreciate if you could take time to vote and possibly review. I only ask for 50 votes in order to help me decide and well if there isn't a clear answer I would have to make decisions on my own and well I want democracy and not dictatorship, I want to involve my readers so please VOTE.**_

_**Now the biggest matter to address is finally here. I have changed my name from SerenaKetchum007 to my new name Storm Pegasus. My former name was too girly and as I am a guy I had to change it. If you want to know why I chose Storm Pegasus read my profile.**_

_**Sorry for the extremely long A/N but it was necessary. Now onwards to the story! )**_

As the smoke from the ensuing explosion started to fade away into the rapidly darkening sky, Ash turned his gaze back towards the battlefield. It was clear to him that Charizard was down for the count and Ash could only return him to his Poke Ball with a word of thanks.

If he was being honest underneath his calm façade he was starting to panic a little. He had been expecting Charizard to be up and deliver a few more hits before going down, but sadly he had underestimated Darkrai. However, looking at his shoulder where rested his second strongest Pokemon he knew that the battle was not over yet, on the contrary it was just beginning.

It was with this thought he beckoned Pikachu towards the battlefield where rested Darkrai whose ragged breathing and bruises indicated Charizard had more than left his mark on the dark type Pokemon. Given Darkrai's condition Ash knew he had to take advantage of it by making use of Pikachu's speed and his small body which would allow him to dodge moves such as Dark Void which were fatal.

As Pikachu sprinted towards the field Ash decided to open the battle on his terms.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"

Darkrai responded with an Ice Beam and as the two attacks competed, Ash could see that Pikachu's attack was overpowering Darkrai's attack. What Ash failed to see was that as Pikachu's attack was overpowering Ice Beam Pikachu was also gradually moving closer towards Darkrai and that was when Darkrai availed the opportunity presented and struck Pikachu with a devastating Throat Chop which sent Pikachu flying until he skidded to a stop in front of Ash, breathing heavily.

Ash was stunned by the attack and as he thought he knew Darkrai's move set as he had seen him fight against Palkia and Dialga. It was a rookie mistake on his part and he knew he could not afford to make such a mistake again.

Seeing that Darkrai was not going to take an initiative, Ash took charge once again.

"Quick Attack into Iron Tail" he shouted.

Pikachu carried out his command effortlessly, likely knowing where he was going with. This belief was further cemented by the prediction Ash made when making this gamble.

As Pikachu appeared before Darkrai, Darkrai clearly knew it was a ploy intercepting the Iron Tail with Throat Chop, but that was where he made the same mistake as Ash.

When Ash was Pikachu locked with Darkrai he knew he had succeeded with his ploy.

"Pikachu now use Thunder Wave"

He could see Darkrai's single eye widen in surprise before paralysis overtook Darkrai and he decided to take advantage of it while he could.

"Pikachu use Electro Ball back to back"

He could see that Darkrai did not expect that attack either as it took two Electro Balls before the paralysis receded. Just as it got up Darkrai proceeded to fire continuous Dark Pulses towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu use Light Screen to defend"

Ash smirked at Darkrai before his smirk turned into a frown at seeing Darkrai's own smirk.

Darkrai used Haze to lift the Light Screen and before he could warn Pikachu, Pikachu was struck successively two times by Dark Pulses before Ash's brain rebooted and he gave commands to Pikachu.

"Use Iron Tail to deflect and add in an Electro Ball"

Ash was sure he had Darkrai where he wanted him when the Sinnoh legendary showed him the simpler arts of dodging by simply disappearing as a shadow into the ground below. Unlike the last time when he was in Sinnoh, Ash now had a strategy.

"Pikachu use Iron Tail on the Darkrai by tracking his shadow and have an Electro Ball ready to fire!"

With narrowed eyes Pikachu tracked the movements of Darkrai who after a dozen Iron Tails on the ground seemed to be running out of space when suddenly he popped up behind Pikachu only to be treated with a face full of Electro Ball.

The resulting explosion threw Darkrai several feet away though when he turned to face them a Dark Pulse was readily approaching Pikachu who dodge the attack as commanded by Ash only to be struck with a Shadow Claw and another Dark Pulse.

Ash was certainly surprised how quickly Darkrai delivered the attacks after being dealt so much damage. Turning his gaze towards Pikachu, he could see it would not be able to continue for much longer.

It was time to go out in style using their signature attacks. As his eyes connected with Pikachu, Ash grinned and ordered.

"Thunderbolt"

As Thunderbolt connected with Ice Beam, Ash could see Pikachu latching onto Darkrai and he smirked before shouting once again.

"Thunderbolt let it loose!"

With a pronounced "PikaaaaAACHUUUU" Pikachu unleashed hell upon Darkrai who moaned in pain before shaking off Pikachu who flew through the air a distance away and skidded to a stop.

"Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu turned and heading towards Darkrai breaking into sprint electricity cackling and building around him as the very ground seemed to shake beneath him.

Ash could see Darkrai sending out waves of what looked like Night Daze towards Pikachu who broke through them all and crashed into Darkrai driving him into the ground, himself shooting up into the air.

Ash caught Pikachu with his hand and could see that he out for the count even as he struggled against Ash to get back to the battlefield, though Ash was having none of it.

"Rest buddy, you did awesome leave this to Sceptile"

He could see Pikachu nod before heading to the realm of Morpheus. Turning his gaze towards Darkrai he could see it was pretty battered as it dug itself out of the hole and faced him.

He had saved Sceptile for the last because he knew he would be very effective towards Darkrai. With his bug type moves, in addition to his experience against fighting them along with his secret weapon which had been prepared for this very situation Sceptile had a very good chance of taking down Darkrai once and for all. However he also knew not to be overconfident as though Sceptile was strong it could only take a few hits and was particularly vulnerable to Darkrai's Ice Beam.

For the first time Darkrai started the battle with a barrage of Dark Pulses while also using Double Team.

Ash had a hard time finding the real Darkrai, but they had more pressing problems right now.

"Use Detect to dodge and use Leaf Blade to counter"

Sceptile displayed his speed and grace as he weaved between the attacks sent by Darkrai with ease and then striking with Leaf Blade, Darkrai left panting from the super effective attack.

Ash decided to press his advantage and ordered another Leaf Blade, though by now Darkrai had recovered responding with a Throat Chop.

"Use your other arm for Leaf Blade too!"

Sceptile obeyed his demand only to encounter a Shadow Claw blocking his way. Ash was now in a quandary as both opponents were locked and if either retreated or tried to push forward he would most definitely be hit. That was when he remembered one of Sceptile's newer moves.

"Use Energy Ball and then follow up with X-Scissor!"

Sceptile opened his mouth before firing the Energy Ball at point blank range at Darkrai who appeared to wince and that was all the time Sceptile needed striking the injured Pokemon with X-Scissor causing Darkrai to double over in pain.

Ash opened his mouth to yell another order but the command fell short when Darkrai launched Dark Void at Sceptile who had his back turned to him waiting for Ash's command. That was when realization dawned on him. When Darkrai had doubled over in pain it was actually forming Dark Void. He had thought it was odd that a Darkrai could double over in pain but now was not the time to repent.

He smirked at Darkrai who seemed confused by his gesture as it was preparing a Dream Eater, at least until he shouted his order causing Darkrai's eye to widen.

"Sleep Talk, Sceptile"

It just so happened that the attack chosen was Solar Beam. Darkrai took full advantage of it by battering Sceptile with what seemed like waves of Dark Pulse and Night Daze.

Though still asleep it could be seen that Sceptile took substantial damage and even his sleep seemed pained. The Solar Beam was closed to being fired when Darkrai changed his strategy. An Ice Beam hit Sceptile square in the chest dealing a super effective hut and finally causing Sceptile to wake up.

"Sceptile, let it rip!"

As Solar Beam cut through Ice Beam and struck Darkrai, causing an explosion which spanned the whole battlefield Ash sighed in content and palmed a Poke Ball ready to be thrown when his expression of joy turned into confusion to anger and he yelled for all to hear.

"Oh FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

There in the middle stood (or floated more accurately) Darkrai with his smirk powered to full blast before his smirk faded on Ash's next command.

"Sceptile end this, use FRENZY PLANT!" Ash hollered.

Ash could see Darkrai's expression turn into one of acceptance just before he was struck by the strongest grass type attack know and knocked into unconsciousness.

Ash could hardly believe it, he had finally defeated Darkrai. He ran up to Sceptile before giving it a hug while he attempted to look cool and composed( which wasn't hard considering he had ice stuck to the middle of his chest). Ash then stepped back and came close to Darkrai's body before tapping his Poke Ball with it and after a second a soft "ding" registered the capturing of his newest strongest Pokemon. He then gave a shout of ecstasy before shouting to all who cared his feat. No matter how much he matured catching a legendary would always permit a cause for childish celebration.

With everything said and done he gave one last look towards the carnage caused in the wake of their battle before running towards the Pokemon center to get his Pokemon healed.

As he lay in the bed of his room in the Pokemon Center in Alamos Town, Ash turned his thoughts towards Darkrai. Now that he had a Darkrai even if a trainer like Tobias showed up in the Sinnoh League, nothing short of a Rayquaza would take down Darkrai considering his Darkrai was many time stronger than Tobias' Darkrai or his Latios. Ash was now sure he was ready for anything the Kalos League could throw at him. He was going to win the League this time for sure. After all, never give till it's over.


	9. An Explosive Arrival

_**A/N: (I am very sorry for the obscenely long delay to the story but I'm back. A family member of mine passed away due to COVID-19. I was in grief for a month and after that I myself was diagnosed with COVID-19 though I recovered. After that my laptop had a battery problem and I couldn't get it fixed till yesterday. So after over three months I am returning to writing. I started writing this chapter on fourth of June and believe me I was just on the 6**__**th**__** line when I heard the news about the death of my family member. I just didn't have the heart to write this anymore. So I took a break. Now I'm back. The way I am writing chapters is going to change. The main focus will be on battles as this story is primarily focused on Ash improving as a trainer and less on other things. However for those worrying about Amourshipping do not worry I have something planned. Remember to VOTE regarding whether Bonnie and Clemont should travel with Ash or not. The poll is on top of my profile. This is the last chapter to VOTE. Review, follow and favorite. They help motivate me to write chapters sooner. Anyway onwards to the chapter!)**_

* * *

After getting back his gym team and spending the night at the Pokemon Center, Ash was refreshed. Though he himself hadn't fought against Darkrai the battle had taken a toll on him mentally. He had returned Charizard and Sceptile though he still had Darkrai on hand. Who knew when the next criminal organization would pop up or a legendary would go mad? It was better if Darkrai was with him at all times. Better safe than sorry.

As the plane landed in Lumiose City, he looked outside his window to see various unique pokemon he had never seen before. Though he had matured he still couldn't find it in himself to contain his excitement. Exchanging a look with Pikachu, Ash knew they were thinking the same thing. A new journey had begun.

After exiting the airport he tried to find the nearest Pokemon Center but failed in doing so. Rather than waste any more time he quickly released Staraptor and climbed aboard. He was then quickly able to locate the nearest Pokemon Center from where he directed to Professor Sycamore's lab.

As he entered the building he was greeted by an assistant who introduced herself as Sophie. He was then taken to the Professor. As they approached the Professor, Ash assessed the Garchomp he was tending to. The size of the Pokemon rivaled Cynthia's own Garchomp though he doubted it stood a chance against her Garchomp. Still it was an impressive specimen and would most likely give him a good fight if he ever fought against it which wasn't very likely. He would later realize how wrong he was.

After exchanging pleasantries with the Professor, he inquired whether his Pokedex could be updated with this region's data. He was replied that it would be done right away. Whilst his Pokedex was being loaded with new information, the Professor began telling him about a process called mega evolution which apparently recently had a major breakthrough.

"Mega evolution has recently become more popular and well known throughout all regions though Kalos remains the focal point. It's a temporary evolution that can be initiated only if a Pokemon holds a Mega Stone which is particular to its species. The trainer also has to have a Keystone to trigger the evolution. However the most important thing in my perspective is that a strong bond must be woven through trust and experience with each other as partners to trigger this process which will allow you to access this great power. Be mindful though, only specific Pokemon can mega evolve."

The Professor finished his speech with a smile and Ash could see why this man was regarded as the foremost authority on this subject. The passion with which he talked about mega evolution could clearly be heard in his voice.

However, Ash was more focused on one specific part of his explanation.

"What do you mean that only specific Pokemon can mega evolve?"

"So far only 46 species of Pokemon have been found that can mega evolve. We do not yet know why but other than these specific Pokemon none can mega evolve. Pokemon that can mega evolve include Pokemon such as Heracross, Sceptile, Charizard, Pinsir, Pidgeot, Lucario and the list goes on. Even legendaries such as Latios can mega evolve."

Ash was amazed by the fact that even legendaries could mega evolve. However he was more excited by the fact that he had many Pokemon that could mega evolve. He could only imagine how much more powerful Charizard would be when mega evolved. He was distracted from his thoughts when the Professor began speaking again.

"In fact, just before you arrived I was about to mega evolve Garchomp. Would you like to see it?"

He replied in affirmative and watched as the Professor took out a stone and pointed it towards Garchomp. A light began to glow but at that moment the glass ceiling above exploded. He had just enough time to see two people dressed in orange suits and a Houndour jump in before the area was covered by a Smokescreen.

The smoke was cleared away by a hyperbeam from Garchomp except it didn't seem normal anymore. His eyes had turned red and it looked like he was in enormous pain. The cause of his anger was unveiled to be a collar on his neck.

Before the situation could escalate he ordered Pikachu to attack the two people who seemed to be controlling Garchomp with a remote. They were shocked along with their Pokemon and dropped to the floor twitching. However in the commotion the remote had also been destroyed.

Garchomp roared in anger and turned his head towards the sky for another hyperbeam. Just then a Froakie came out of nowhere and attacked Garchomp. Ash could only gaze at the Froakie in confusion, shocked both by its courage and its stupidity. Really, who would be stupid enough to take on an enraged Garchomp especially given how weak he was in comparison.

As Froakie approached Garchomp sent it flying back into the bushes with a Dragon Claw and then took off flying out of the broken glass ceiling.

Ash ran out of the lab to see several buildings damaged and people taking cover. Garchomp stood upon the top of the Prism Tower firing a range of attacks all around.

Ash knew he had to do something to stop this rampage before people got hurt. He ran towards the tower only to find it blocked. Two blonde headed siblings offered to help remove the rubble but that would take too long.

Ash released Staraptor and instructed it to drop him on the roof. Only a few seconds later he found himself only a few feet away from Garchomp. Ash knew he could release Darkrai and finish this quickly but in his peripheral vision he could see a news helicopter which was probably providing live feed to all of Kalos. Releasing Darkrai would mean his trump card would be revealed.

No, that was unacceptable. Relying on Darkrai too much would only result in his own failure. He had to trust his other Pokemon. In this situation a Pokemon that was good in close combat would be ideal. Of course Pikachu was a given and Staraptor was there for support. Despite this he did need another heavy hitter. So naturally he chose him.

"Come on out Heracross."

As Heracross materialized in front of him, Ash knew he had made the right decision. Not only did he specialize in close combat but in case of any emergency he could fly as well.

His team had worked hard to improve themselves and it was time to showcase their new skills. Just as Garchomp opened his mouth for yet another Hyperbeam, Ash gave his orders.

"Staraptor and Heracross use Close Combat. Pikachu stay back."

In just a moment both his Pokemon vanished then reappeared in front of the startled Garchomp. He had no chance to fight back before he was pelted with attacks. After being bombarded with attacks for a few seconds he regained his composure.

Heracross was forced to retreat in the face of Dragon Claw and Staraptor was forced to swerve out of the way of an incoming Dragon Rush. Well another tactic would be used then.

"Staraptor distract with Air Slash. Pikachu use Electro Ball and then get in close but be stealthy. Heracross when it's distracted, Megahorn."

His orders were carried out perfectly. Staraptor used Air Slash which caused Garchomp to fire Dragon Pulse consecutively in hope to catch Staraptor off guard. However, its barrage was interrupted by an Electro Ball which it was forced to redirect with a Dragon Claw.

The smoke from the resulting explosion was enough to distract Garchomp who was struck in the mid section with a Megahorn. It dropped to one knee but still wasn't defeated.

Ash smirked. He knew that Garchomp wouldn't go down that easy and that's why….

"Pikachu use Iron Tail."

The collar was sliced clean off the neck of the suddenly exhausted Garchomp. He flew down the tower and collapsed in front of the relieved Professor.

He returned Heracross and thanked him for his good work before following Garchomp on Staraptor. Garchomp gave him his equivalent of a grin and Ash returned it before Garchomp became unconscious.

Ash turned just in time to see a microphone thrust in front of him and a reporter asking a question.

"Who are you, young man?"

Ash climbed aboard Staraptor to escape this interview. He would remember to thank Staraptor profusely later. He considered not answering the question but that would be rude so he answered.

"I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, the trainer who will take the Kalos League by storm this year."

As he flew off towards the Pokemon Center, Ash admitted just to himself with a small grin. That parting shot was pretty cool.

* * *

In Vanville Town, a girl with honey blond hair shrieked and fainted. Grace looked curiously towards her daughter. Why was she blushing? Looking towards the television she grinned. Ah, teasing material.

_**A/N :( There you have it folks Chapter 9. Remember to VOTE regarding whether Bonnie and Clemont should travel with Ash or not. The poll is on top of my profile. This is the last chapter to VOTE. Review, follow and favorite. They help motivate me to write chapters sooner. See you in the next chapter!)**_


	10. Technical Difficulties

_**(A/N: The tenth chapter is here and so are the poll results. There have been a total of 47 votes. 27 people voted that Bonnie and Clemont shouldn't travel with Ash whilst 20 voted they should. So Bonnie and Clement won't travel with him.**_

_**I am also putting another POLL. If I were to create an account to give you an update or sneak peeks of a chapter or even interact with you what social media app should I use? I will be putting the poll on my profile so please VOTE. I would like at least 50 votes this time.**_

_**Lastly thanks to everyone who has followed, favourited and reviewed the story. Thanks for your support! It means a lot to me. Now onwards to the chapter!)**_

After his rather dramatic exit, Ash had landed in front of the Pokemon Center. He could feel a few people staring at him as he entered the Center making him fidget uncomfortably. He pulled his hat low over his eyes and used it to cover his face. After that he made his way over to Nurse Joy and submitted his Pokemon for a quick check-up.

As he waited for his Pokemon to arrive, he contemplated what to do next. After some thinking he decided he would head to Santalune City to challenge their gym next. However, before going he wanted to make sure Garchomp was alright.

With his mind made up, Ash headed towards Sycamore's lab. After a fifteen minute walk he arrived at the lab and headed inside. Once inside he was greeted warmly by the Professor and his assistants. They also expressed their gratitude for his heroics. He was embarrassed to say the least but quickly remembered the reason why he had come here in the first place.

"How is Garchomp doing?"

"Garchomp is better though he is still unconscious. Most of his injuries have already healed. He has suffered more of a mental trauma in comparison to a physical one. It will be more important to convince him that this incident wasn't his fault."

Ash felt relieved. He had been worried that the combined force of three of his Pokemon had dealt major damage to Garchomp. Thank Arceus, he was fine. Though, this brought into question the strength of his Pokemon. Guess he would have to step up their training a bit.

With the news Garchomp was fine, Ash headed out. The nearest gym here was the Lumiose Gym which was located in Prism Tower. Ash headed towards it. The gym leader was known to be an expert regarding electric types. It would be logical to use ground type Pokemon in order to counter him. He hoped the gym leader could provide a good battle.

Though he doubted it would be as good as the one with Surge all those years ago, Ash still had high expectations. The gym leader was also known to be an excellent scientist so battling him would be interesting. All this thought of battling was getting him excited. He couldn't wait.

Turns out he didn't need to wait. He was right in front of the entrance to the gym.

Just as he was about to enter, two blonde siblings came and tried to stop him. They gave a brief explanation as to why he shouldn't enter the gym but he shook off their concerns. Though he was able to enter the gym, he wasn't able to shake off the siblings who insisted to go with him.

After walking across a hallway, he found himself at the end with a large metallic door in front of him. Suddenly a metallic voice asked his purpose for entering. When he stated that he wished to battle, it replied that he needed at least four badges to enter.

Ash felt his burgeoning excitement turn into anger. Who did gym leader think he was? Consumed in his anger he didn't see the bolt of electricity heading for him but Pikachu did.

Ash looked up to see Pikachu absorbing a bolt of lightning and sending it right back where it came from. Now he was pissed. He had thought Erika was annoying with her perfumes but this was at another level. The gym leader wasn't just granting him entrance but also attacking him? Time to teach him a lesson.

Typhlosion appeared in a flash and looked towards him for instructions

"Go near the doors and use Lava Plume."

Ash was in no mood to play. He meant business. In his peripheral vision he could see the blonde siblings looking alarmed. However, before they could do much Lava Plume was unleashed.

In an explosion of heat which rivaled Infernape, Typhlosion's deadliest move was unleashed. Lava poured out and melted the door. Smoke and cinders filled the corridor before Ash summoned Floatzel to put out the resulting fires.

After the fires had been dealt with, he thanked Floatzel and Typhlosion before returning them. He stepped through the place where the doors once were.

As he set foot on the battlefield the gym leader was nowhere to be seen. He caught a glimpse of the blonde siblings disappearing behind a door but he paid them no heed. He was just ready to get this battle over with.

He had been waiting for about half an hour when suddenly the blonde siblings reappeared. The blond boy introduced himself as Clement. He then began explaining the situation at the gym.

"I am the gym leader here. I built a robot named Clembot to preside as gym leader whilst I worked on my other hobbies such as inventing. I had set a password to control the robot but I lost it and then the robot took over the gym whilst also kicking me out. I tried various ways to get back into the gym but was repelled. It is now thanks to you that I have been able to get access. For that, I thank you."

With his explanation finished Clement bowed. Ash couldn't find it in himself to be angry anymore at the blonde inventor. So with a smile he answered the gym leader.

"It's no problem really; glad I was able to help. Now can we battle?"

He was answered in affirmative. He watched as Clement took his place at the opposite side of the field. His sister announced the standard rules. The battle would include three Pokémon from each side and the trainer being allowed to substitute whilst the gym leader couldn't substitute. With that a whistle was heard, though Ash had no idea where from.

"Let the battle begin!"

_**(A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger. Remember to vote please. It's on the top of my profile. Remember to review, favorite and follow. Thanks for your support. Here's to another ten chapters! See you soon!)**_


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